Cities take on predictive analytics

Predictive analytics has caught on in both the private and public sectors. While companies can take advantage of projections of their future performance, municipalities can reap the same benefits. According to O'Reilly Radar, city governments can integrate predictive big data analytics systems into a variety of processes to improve the use of budget and the performance of civil organizations.

The source reported that New York City has been one of the hubs of analytics use. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is an avowed supporter of using data to make decisions. According to the source, an official statement from Bloomberg promised large-scale use of data to solve problems in the city and control the budget.

The quest to make city decisions effectively via data has expanded around the country. O'Reilly Radar stated that Washington, D.C., agencies have been adding data to their national security and fraud prevention efforts. Police departments in Memphis, Tennessee, and San Jose, California, have added predictive analytics to police capabilities.

According to InformationWeek, police in Charleston, South Carolina, have also adopted predictive models for help with police work. The source stated that Charleston commanders now know which areas are most likely to see criminal activity at certain times of the day, allowing for the intelligent allocation of resources and manpower.